Storm door construction and hinge mounting



Feb. 28, 1956 J. MILONE 2,736,401

STORM DOOR CONSTRUCTION AND HINGE MOUNTING Original Filed Feb. 3, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l BYWfifNVEA/IOR. WMQZ 159 ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 28, 1956 L. .1. MILONE 2,736,401

STORM DOOR CONSTRUCTION AND HINGE MOUNTING Original Filed Feb. 3, 1949 2 Shets-Sheet 2 33. G 18 INVENTOR.

4M3. M. BY

WMMfW AT TORNE Y5.

United States Patent 9 STORM DOOR CONSTRUCTION AND HINGE MOUNTING Louis J. Milone, Livingston, N. J., assignor to The Eagle- Picher Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application February 3, 1949, Serial No. 74,357, now Patent No. 2,695,084, dated November '23, 1954. Divided and this application March 28, 1932, erial No. 279,167

5 Claims. (Cl. i89-46 framing members and having insert panels of glass and screen cloth adapted to be installed interchangeably in the door to accommodate winter and summer conditions. The frame, which is also made from extruded framing members, is permanently installed in the dooriopening of a building outside the standard door and the storm door is hinged upon this conversion frame.

The frame upon which the door is hung is adjusted in a convenient manner with respect to the standard door opening and consists of extruded framing strips which are right angular in cross section. The right angle cross section provides a face flange adapted to fit upon the outer surface of the standard door opening and a casing flange extending within the door opening either in contact with the surface of the opening or spaced from it as determined by the variation of the door opening from standardsize. Upon installation, the casing flanges collectively form a door casing within the opening to receive the storm door. The hinge leaves of the storm door are secured to the casing flanges by wood screws passing through the flange and penetrating the surface of the door opening.

The primary objects of the present invention have been to provide a hinge mounting structure so arranged that the door may be swung upon the frame to open from either the right or left hand side; also to provide an improved hinge structure which is arranged to support the door securely, but without imparting excessive local stresses to the hollow metal extrusions of the door.

In respect to the selective hinging of the door, the present invention contemplates a hinge mounting structure which allows the hinges to be applied on one face side of the door or the other and thus provide a prefabricated metal door which is substantially complete as it leaves the factory and which, by repositioning of the hinges, but without refabrication, may be hung to swing in the right or left hand direction at the choice of the householder.

The accomplish this purpose, the doors are furnished completely assembled with sets of holes drilled com pletely through the hollow metal extrusions of the door for application of the hinges. The hinge leaves are provided with matching holes rimmed by collars which fit into the holes in the extrusions on either face side of the door. Headed sleeves are passed through the holesin the opposite wall of the extrusion and extend into endwise engagement with the collars and male screws extend 2,735,401 Patented Feb. 28, 1956 through -the holes of ,thehinge leaf and through the wall of the extrusion into threaded engagement with the sleeves. The screws thus draw the hinge leaf firmly into facial engagement upon the face of the extrusion, with the sleeves acting as spacers to prevent local stresses from being imparted to the relatively soft wall of the extrusion. By virtue of the rimmed collars which interfit the apertures of the extrusion on either side, the weight load of the door is not imposed upon the screws, but is transmitted directly .to the hinge leaf. The sleeve and collars are of the same diameter; therefore, the hinge leaves can'be placed on either face .side of the door, allowing the door to be hung in a position to swing either to the right or left without changing the locking mechanism or making any other changes in construction.

A further object has been to provide a metal storm door having external spaced fins extending outwardly from the edges of the door and providing a recess for nesting the hinge leaves and latchflush plates in flush relationship with the edges of the door.

The door fits snugly within its frame and the leaf of the hinge which is secured to the frame resides between the door and frame when the door is closed; the fins therefore, make it unnecessary to let the leaf into metal of the door since they provide a recess for it. The fins have additional utility in fitting the door to its frame since the outer edges of the fins, which are relatively thin, can be dressed down conveniently by hand if such an operation is necessary to fit the doorsnugly within its frame. The fins and the improved hinge mounting structuregreatly reduces the amount of labor of installing the door and this saving enables the structure to compare favorably, in over-all cost, with conventional wooden storm doors.

Other advantages and features of the invention are disclosed in the drawings and in the following detailed description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a general face view illustrating the storm door installed in its frame in a door opening.

Figure 2 is an enlarged crosssectional view taken on line 2-2, Figure 1, further detailing the hinge mounting structure and door construction.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view similar to Figure 2, illustrating the manner of reversing the position of the hinges to swing the door in the opposite direction from that shown inFigure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from Figure 2 illustrating the latch mechanism and latch flush plate related to-the door fins.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from 'Figure 3 further detailing the reversible mounting structure of the hinges and the nesting of the hinge leaf withinthe door fins.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6-6, Figure 1, illustrating the door structure, particularly the fins at the upper and lower edges of the door.

As shown generally in Figure l, the storm door, indicated at 1, is hung-within the storm door frame 2, frame '2 being mounted aconventional wooden door frame or opening 3. The storm door frame is formed from extruded angle shaped framing strips installed within the wood .door frame'to delineate accurately the opening for thestorm door. The metal storm frame adjustably embraces the door frame or opening 3, each strip being providedwith a face plate or flange 4 seated upon the outer surface of the openingfiand having a right angular casing flange Sextending into the opening and forrningthe storm door receiving frame or casing, (Figures .4 and 5). As shown, these framing strips are secured by means of .woodscrews 6 passingthrough the face plate 4 into the 3. wood frame or opening 3. The arrangement permits the metal storm door frame to be adjusted with reference to the wood frame to provide a square, accurately sized conversion frame to receive the storm door.

The rearward edge of each casing flange includes a right angular stop flange 7 which engages the marginal edge of the storm door. Batten or angle strips 8, secured by screws 9 to the inner surface of the wood frame 3, reinforce the door stop flange 8 and close off the space 10 intervening between the metal storm door frame and the inner surface of the wood door frame. The metal frame thus may be adjusted to establish a weather tight seal with the door frame or opening and minor irregularities encountered in door openings, particularly in old buildings, are readily corrected without reworking the wood door frames or the storm door frame. As noted above, the framing strips for the storm door frame and the batten strip preferably are formed from aluminum alloy extrusions to provide weather resistance and to present a neat finished appearance.

The storm door 1 is formed from vertical stiles or framing members 11 (Figures 2 to 5) and horizontal framing members 12 and 13 at the top and bottom respectively (Figure 6). These framing members are formed from hollow aluminum or aluminum alloy extrusions and are of duplicate shape in cross section. Each constitutes generally a hollow rectangular body 14, provided with a web or flange 15 located centrally along the inner surface and a pair of spaced parallel fins or flanges 1616 extending outwardly as a continuation of the body walls. The fins 16 provide thin metal edge sections which can be machined by hand if necessary in fitting the door to its frame and in addition, provide a recess approximately the same thickness as the leaves 17 of the hinges 18 and latch flush plate 19 as hereinafter described, so that these members need not be let into the metal proper in order to lie flush with the marginal edges of the door.

As shown in Figure 6, the lower framing member 13 is a duplicate of the side and top members with the exception of the fins 16-16 which extend downwardly a substantial distance beyond the body of the member to increase the width dimension and provide the desired appearance.

The vertical and horizontal framing members are joined together at the four corners by means of a reinforcing insert (not shown), telescopically inserted in the horizontal and vertical framing members at the corners of the door. These members are disclosed and claimed in the copending application above noted.

The lower portion of the door is provided with a kick I plate or panel 20 directly above the lower framing member 13 (Figure 6). This panel rests against the flange 15 of the lower framing member and against a similar flange formed in an intermediate framing member 21 secured to the vertical framing members as shown in Figures 1 and 6. To the opposite face side of the kick plate is disposed a frame 22 formed of angle members spot welded or otherwise secured to the kick plate and frame members.

As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the screen panel 23 and the glass panel 24 may be mounted together in the storm door during the winter season. As shown, the panels are disposed on opposite sides of the flange 15 and are secured by means of a series of screws 25 which pass through the frames of both panels. To prepare the storm door for summer use, the glass panel 24 is removed and the screen panel mounted by means of shorter screws (not shown) passing through the screen frame and flange 15. In each case, an acorn nut 26 is applied to the end of the screws to provide a neat, trim appearance. The construction of the glass panel and screen panel is disclosed in detail in the copending application and is omitted herein since it does not form an essential part of the present in vention.

The assembled doors are furnished to the user ready for installation, one of the vertical stiles 11 having holes drilled therethrough for the installation of the hinges 18 while the other stile is provided with a latch mechanism indicated generally at 27. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the door may be mounted to swing either from the left or from the right simply by applying the hinges to one face side of the door or the other. For this purpose, the hinge mounting holes 28 (Figure 5) are drilled through both walls of the hollow sections 14 of the frame member 11. The hinges are secured by means of flat head screws 29 passing through countersunk holes formed in the hinge leaf 30 and in screwthreaded engagement with a headed sleeve 31 extending inwardly from the opposite side of the frame. The countersunk holes are rimmed to provide pilot collars 32 integral with the hinge leaf 30. The outside diameter of the pilot collars 32 is the same as the sleeves 31 so as to fit into the holes on either side of the frame. Thus, the door may be hung to swing either Way as shown in Figures 2 and 3 simply by placing the hinges on the desired face with the pilot collars in the holes and inserting the sleeves from the opposite side.

By operation of the pilot collars, the weight load of the door is transmitted through the pilot collars directly to the hinge leaf 30 instead of being transmitted through the screws 29. It will be noted that the inner ends of sleeves 31 contact the end of the pilot collars 32 so that the sleeves serve as spacers to prevent the screws from distorting the relatively thin wall section of the side members when the screws are tightened. The opposite leaf 17 of the hinge 18 is secured to the door frame by means of flat head wood screws 33 which pass through the casing flange 5 into the wood frame 3. The holes for the hinge screws 33 preferably are drilled after installation of the frame depending upon which way the door is to swing.

The door latch, indicated generally at 27, may follow any preferred construction and includes handles 34 mounted upon a latch shaft 35 which extends from opposite sides of the door. The vertical framing member is drilled to receive the shaft 35 and one or both of the handles are secured to the shaft by means of set screws in the usual manner to permit the handle to be removed for assembly of the latch. The latch 27 includes the flush plate 19 (Figure 4) which lies between the fins 1616 in the same manner as the hinge leaf 17 so that it need not be let into the metal of the door. The outer wall 37 of the side member 11 is slotted to receive the latch mechanism 27, the mechanism being supported by the flush plate 19 which is secured to the wall 37 of the framing member by screws (not shown). After the latch mechanism is installed, the shaft 35 is slipped through the latch mechanism 27 and the handles 34 secured to the shaft by the set screws.

The latch mechanism concludes a spring pressed latch plunger 38 having its outer end tapered in the usual manner. Since the framing member 11 is of relatively soft material subject to rapid wear, a strike plate 39 (Figure 4), which is formed from wear resistant sheet metal such as steel, is utilized to engage the plunger. When the door is closed, the tapered end of the plunger engages the strike plate to retract the plunger and the casing flange 5 includes an opening 40 to receive the latch plunger. The strike plate includes a hooked inner end 41 engaged over the marginal edge of the opening 40, and a metal screw 41 passing into the face flange 4 secures the outer portion of the strike to the face flange.

In practice the door units are shipped assembled, with one vertical stile 11 of the storm door drilled for the hinges and the other drilled and tapped for the latch shaft and flush plate. As noted, the hinges may be mounted on either side. Therefore, the storm door frame 2 preferably is not drilled for the hinges until installation, depending upon which side of the door is to be hinged. The storm door frame forms a secondary frame, adjustable relative to the door frame to compensate for size and nge mounting structure',, etion, provides the twp-fold fad yQto swing thin hollow door extrusions since the hinge structure does not subject the extrusions to localized stresses. It will also benoted that the fins provide a recess for nesting in flush relationship the hinge leaves and the latch flush plate so that these parts need not be let into the edge of the door; moreover, the fins, by their thinness, allow the door to be dressed down easily by hand, if necessary, to fit the door snugly within its frame. The hinge mounting structure and fins thus contribute mutually toward simplicity and ease of installation and enable the door to compare favorably in over-all cost with standard wooden storm doors with the added advantage of permanence and attractive appearance.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A hinge mounting structure for a storm door having vertical framing members of hollow cross section providing spaced side walls and end walls, said hinge mounting structure comprising, hinge leaves adapted to be mounted upon one of the vertical framing members, said hinge leaves being provided with rimmed mounting holes forming collars integral with the hinge leaf, the hollow framing member having sets of hinge mounting holes extending through both side walls thereof, the hinge leaf being mounted in facial engagement upon the framing member with said collars engaged in said holes, a plurality of sleeves having substantially the same diameter as said collars and adapted to be inserted through the hinge mounting holes through the opposite side wall of the hollow framing member, said sleeves having a head formed on the outer end thereof adapted to engage the external surface of the side wall, the sleeve having a length dimension substantially equal to the spacing of the side walls and adapted to extend into endwise engagement with said collars, and a plurality of screws extending through the rimmed holes of the hinge leaf into internally threaded engagement with the sleeves, the sleeves providing spacers to control the stress imposed upon the spaced side walls of the framing member and said collars being effective to transmit the weight load of the door directly to the hinge leaf independently of said screws.

2. In a storm door adapted to be hinged selectively with respect to a door casing to swing either from the right hand or the left hand side, respective pairs of vertical stile members and horizontal connecting members, said stile members being formed from metallic extrusions each comprising a hollow body section having spaced side and end walls, the stile members and connecting members being joined together to provide the framework of the storm door, a plurality of hinges adapted to be mounted selectively upon either side wall of one of the stile members adapting the door to swing either from the right or left hand side, one leaf of each of said hinges'having a plurality of rimmed openings forming collars integral with the hinge leaf, one of the stile members having sets of hinge mounting holes extending through both side walls thereof, the hinge mounting holes being adapted to receive said hinge leaf collars with the hinge leaf in facial engagement uponthe side wall, a plurality of internally threaded sleeves having substantially the same diameter'as said collars, said sleeves being inserted through said hinge mounting holes from the opposite side wall, the sleeves each having a head formed upon the outer end thereof adapted to engage the external surface of the side wall and having a length dimenirectiion and also makes feasible the use of re t vely h ePa n -Q eis s dewa e-sleev toextendinto enda collars, a series ofscrews ex- 'mmed'holes of the ,hinge leaf and ent with the ,sleeves, said sleeves lithe compressive force irnupgn thetspaced side walls of the be effectiveto transmittheweight ,ct ly, to. he hinge leaf independently e ge lea being adapt to e installed selectively upon either side wall of the stile with said collars engaged in the mounting holes and with said sleeves inserted through the mounting holes in the opposite side wall to provide selective swinging of the door from the right or left hand side.

3. In a storm door hingedly mounted in respect to a door casing, respective vertical stiles and horizontal connecting members, said stiles formed of one-piece metallic extrusions, each stile comprising a hollow box-like cross section having side walls and inner and outer end walls, said stiles and said connecting members joined together to provide the framework of the storm door, a plurality of hinges mounting the storm door with respect to the door casing, each of said hinges having a pair of hinge leaves, one leaf of each hinge seated against the side wall of the stile, key means projecting from the surface of each leaf which seats against the stile, said stile having openings therein, said key means interfitting said openings and keying the leaves to the stile, said key means transmitting the weight load of the door to said leaves, and means securing said hinge leaves in pressure engagement against the stile, the second of said hinge leaves being fastened to the door casing and residing between the stile and the casing when the door is closed with respect to the casing.

4. In a storm door hingedly mounted in respect to a door casing, respective vertical stiles and horizontal connecting members, said stiles formed of one-piece metallic extrusions, each stile comprising a hollow box-like cross section having side walls and inner and outer end walls, said stiles and said connecting members joined together to provide the framework of the storm door, a plurality of hinges mounting the storm door with respect to the door casing, each of said hinges having a pair of hinge leaves, one leaf of each hinge seated against the side wall of the stile, said leaf having rimmed mounting holes forming pilot collars projecting from the surface of each leaf which seats against the stile, said stile having openings therein, said pilot collars interfitting said openings and keying the leaves to the stile, said pilot collars transmitting the weight load of the door to said leaves, and screw means passing through the rimmed openings and through the openings of the stile securing said hinge leaves in pressure engagement against the stile, the second of said hinge leaves being fastened to the door casing and residing between the stile and the casing when the door is closed with respect to the casing.

5. In a storm door hingedly mounted in respect to a door casing, respective vertical stiles and horizontal connecting members, said stiles formed of one-piece metallic extrusions, each stile comprising a hollow box-like cross section having side walls and inner and outer end walls, the outer end walls each having a pair of spaced parallel fins coextensive with the side walls extending outwardly beyond the plane of the outer end wall, said stiles and said connecting members joined together to provide the framework of the storm door, said spaced parallel fins being disposed to the exterior edges of the framework and delineating the outer margins thereof, a plurality of hinges mounting the storm door with respect to the door casing, each of said hinges having a pair of hinge leaves, one leaf of each hinge seated against the side wall of the stile, key means projecting from the surface of each leaf which seats against the stile, said stile having openings therein, said key means interfitting said openings and keying the e r Pfial s rews 7 8 leaves to the stile, said key means transmitting the weight the second leaves of said hinges in flush relationship with load of the door to said leaves, and means securing said the edge of the stile. hin e leaves in ressure enga ement a ainst the stile, the sec nd of said h i nge leaves bei ng fasten ed to the door ca's- References Cited m the file of fins patent ing and residing between the end wall of the stile and the 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS casing when the door is closed with respect to the casing, 349,742 M d A 9, 1907 said fins providing a longitudinal recess along the end Wall 953,995 Gray Apr. 5, 1910 of the stile, said recess having a depth substantially equal 1,158,378 Fullerton et al. Oct. 26, 1915 to the thickness of the second hinge leaves, one of said 1,203,208 Lachman Oct. 31, 1916 fins being interrupted at said hinges to receive and nest 10 1,573,538 Bock a Feb. 16, 1926 

